When I make the switch over to carb I plan on installing a mechanical fuel pump...but i was basically wondering what exactly has to be done. Should I run all new SS lines? What about the fuel filter? I dont plan on doing this swap for a month or twobut I amtrying to get information now. Thanks

 

Assuming you have some sort of EFI right now, and will not be running the in-tank electric pump:

Drop the tank and remove the electric pump. Replace the pump with a piece of rubber fuel hose, and retain the pick-up strainer.

Remove the in-line fuel filter back by the tank and replace with hose.

Run either braided hose or steel line from the driver's side feed line, across the front of the crossmember, over to the mechanical pump, ending with a short piece of hose to the pump inlet. Run braided or steel line from the pump outlet up to the carb, including a new in-line filter. If you use a mechanical pump with a return provision, plumb that back over to the driver's side to the factory return line (it's the smaller of the two). If you don't have a return-type pump, plug the factory return line, or remove it and plug it at the tank.

All new SS lines is an option. If there's nothing wrong with your factory lines (kinks, corrosion), then it's an expensive hassle that will produce no particular improvement.

If there's nothing wrong with the current in-tank electric pump, especially if it's been replaced recently, I'd much prefer keeping it, personally, and regulating the pressure down at the engine with a return-type regulator. But, that's just me.

 

the last time we did this we took the factory feed line off the car all the way back to the tank had to rebend a couple small areas and installed it on the drivers side of the car .......believe it or not there are factory mounting holes there for the fuel line clips to mount to and then ran it up to the fuel pump ...

and do as five7kid said in the tank with the pump .....

 

you can do like they said, basicly eliminating the restrictions to the pump, and routing the lines to the pump. then putting a filter after it.


OR


you can leave everything as it is. cut the EFI hardlines that mount on the motor, and flare them to go into a regulator (free and quick, rent the tool from autozone)

put the regulator on, and bend a line to goto the carb.


thats it. plus that means it auto primes the car when the key is turned on.. even if the car sits for awhile.

 

The way my '86 donor car was routed took it from driver's to passenger side over the transmission. There was a stud to mount a clip to hold the line up there. However, the '82 V6 car into which the V8 went did not have that stud above the transmission. And, that is a much hotter location than the front of the crossmember. That's why I suggested the routing that I did. I used some tie wrap mounts I found at Checker that push into a 1/4" hole and you run the tie wrap through the head - clean & neat.

I fully agree with Dude, though.

 

im sorry thats what i meant was take it from the drivers side to the passenger side .......my bad......but we ran it down the complete passenger side from the tank on up and it ran like a factory line out of the way and not even close to anything ....looks real good and wasnt too difficult to do ...

but as MRDUDE stated that is the easiest just not the cheapest once you price a good fuel regulator your looking at 75+ bucks......all depends on what your budget is and how much time you have....

 

actually, it IS the cheapest.

less then $10 for the short line, and line fittings.
$75 for the line fittings.
free tool rental from autozone. (if you dont have flare tool, cutter, or bender)

or.

$20 for the long line and fittings and line to replace fuel filter...
$40 for the pump
$3 for the pump pushrod
$5 for soft fuel line to goto pump and back out..
$15 for new style fuel filter to mount up front
$1 for hoseclamps.

 

I used two compression fittings, 2.50 apiece, 22 inches of hardline, at 1.25 a foot, the old line from the drivers side, free, and about 18 inches of high pressure fuel line. i think it was considerably cheaper than a regulator.

 

Sorry i didnt notice you included pump and filter, add 12.95 for the pump, and 2.99 for the filter, still a whole lotta cheaper!

 

five7kid...
Do you have a specific recomendation for a regulator,
I need 3 to 6 psi, 3port (in, return, regulated out)
preferably with 'rubber fuel line' hookups....?
The stuff I can find seems overpriced, for what it is.
........
I don't understand why 6 psi stuff needs to
look like brakeline.

 

The Mallory is the typical recommendation. I can only go by what I hear here, as I have a mechanical-only. The in-tank pump must have the return line, whereas an in-line can live with a dead-heading reg. A return-line type system will keep the fuel going to the carb cooler.

The total length of rubber fuel line should be kept to a minimum for safety's sake. If you go to a sanctioned track, the total is typically less than 12". Hence the solid and braded lines you always see.

 

Perhaps someone knows,
when did the SBC cease to have provision
for a mechanical fuel pump?

 

never


athough on some of the final truck blocks, ive read online that you have to drill one of the holes... (hand drill is fine)

 

I've seen LT-1's w/o the provision. Apparently they started saving the nickels in the '92/'93 time frame.

There are two holes missing - the push rod bore, and the oil return hole (bolt holes notwithstanding). I certainly wouldn't try to hand drill the push rod bore.

 

really?

from what i read the pushrod bore is there, but theres no oil return hole... no i wouldnt handdrill the pushrod guide... lol



in anycase, thats LT1.... genII.

 

i have an 88 gmc with the factory 305 in it that was rebuilt and the block is cast so it looks like a fuel pump could bolt up to it but like above they arent drilled inside for the pushrod or oil return ........

 

I keep forgetting which one is which.

The brain probably goes back to the 1st known by default...

LT1 = genII

LT1 = genII

Reverse cooling, no dash.

LT1 = genII

LT1 = genII

Reverse cooling, no dash.

LT1 = genII

LT1 = genII

Every Good Boy Does Fine.

F-A-C-E

28-15-1 (HS locker combo)

38-B757 (1st license plate #)

Lt1 = genII...

34-31 (NU-OU score, Thanksgiving 1971, about a month before I got the '57)

 

dang thats alot of numbers ....LOL....did they have lockers back when you were in school......BWAHAHAHAHAHA.......

sorry had to say it ...lol....

 

Our school was very "progressive" for it's day...

 

LOL